The Canadian wilderness encompasses a vast network of rocky lakes, large and small, interconnected by rivers ranging from mere trickles to mighty flows. Anglers tend to think in terms of fishing in lakes, but in reality, those hundreds of thousands of lakes are merely pit stops for water relentlessly flowing to the sea.

Current is, of course, drastically reduced when passing through the main bodies of lakes. But when you get anywhere near shallow inflows and outflows, current gathers steam and often becomes significant. So much so, that fish of all species relate to it. As anglers, we need to consider current’s attraction and effects on the fish species we’re after.

Canadian walleyes typically begin the open-water season somewhere in or near water flowing between lakes. Fish run up-current to spawn atop rocky shoals and in rapids at night, then typically drop downstream to rest during the day in the first available holes or pools where current slackens. Incredible concentrations of fish occur here in and around spawning season, with many walleyes lingering in the general area well into spring and early summer.

Current provides an influx of food in what are relatively infertile lakes. Minnows and juvenile fish cluster around the incoming flow like mountain goats clinging to steep mountainsides. In comparison, the massive, deep, cold basins of lake trout lakes offer little attraction to walleyes—a species that prefers shallower, warmer water. In the Far North, walleyes may never leave river mouths, or the areas below waterfalls, throughout much of the open-water season.

The lakes of southern Canada, however, are generally much warmer and more fertile than their Far North counterparts, allowing walleyes to disperse more into adjacent, modestly deep areas of the lake where forage is present. Immediately after spawning, nearby shallow bays with emerging weeds or flooded wood cover can attract loads of walleyes, perch, minnows and juvenile fish—at least for a while.

In smaller, shallower lakes, walleyes may, in fact, eventually spread throughout the entire lake system in summer, relating to shoreline points and moderately deep humps in the basin. Many of these waters drain swamps, and the water is tannin-stained, displaying a brownish color that reduces light penetration. This allows walleyes to function in relatively shallow water and promotes good daytime bites from actively feeding fish.

So… depending on the type of lake you’re fishing, and how cold it remains in summer, walleyes can be in different places. It’s up to you to figure out where the fish are, how they’re behaving and what they’re eating, during the time of year you’re fishing there. The good news is, the fish are usually hungry and willing to bite, even on simple, basic fishing methods.

In spring, it’s hard to beat a 1/8- to 1/4-ounce jig dressed with a soft plastic tail of some sort. Traditionally, the 3-inch, Mister Twister Meeny curly-tail grub was the original hands-down favorite, in white and yellow colors imitating baitfish, to smoke shades for clearer waters, on down to orange and chartreuse for added visibility in stained lakes. Today’s vast array of soft baits provide countless additional options. Medium spinning gear with 6- or 8-pound test does the trick.

Often, you need only drift and vertically jig a pool in a river, or fish the first available deeper water below a river mouth or waterfall, to catch all the walleyes you could possibly desire. On a hot bite, anchor and cast all around the boat, lift-dropping your jig on and off bottom.

As, or if, walleyes begin dispersing from these areas, check out nearby bays with weeds or flooded wood. Try fan-casting with similar jigs or shallow-running crankbaits. If bays are large, consider longline trolling a minnow imitator crankbait to locate pods of active fish.

Should the fish have dispersed farther from their spawning areas, begin checking out long shoreline points and shallow humps rising out of the first basins as you move a bit farther into the lake. Vertically jigging in 10 to 15 feet of water should do the trick. Try trolling deeper-diving crankbaits if you wish. Or bottom bouncer and spinner harnesses dressed with soft plastic grubs or worms. If you have access to live nightcrawlers or leeches, try them as well—although live bait may not be necessary to catch fish. Once again, keep things simple in stained waters.

If the lake is clear, consider anchoring and fishing a slip bobber baited with live bait in these areas, beginning in the evening and extending as long into the night as you can put up with the mosquitoes. Or longline trolling a minnow imitator or shad crankbait along shorelines or atop shallow, main-lake structures.

Once again, these methods should more than cover most walleye situations. But… if you’re fishing a clearer lake where the fish disperse farther and deeper in summer, pull out your bag of tricks: Try vertical jigging with heavier jigs or Jigging Rapalas, like you do on clear natural lakes back home. Perhaps troll bottom bouncers and spinner harnesses dressed with soft plastics or live bait, like you do on prairie reservoirs in the Plains states; they’re incredibly snag-resistant on rocky Canadian lakes, and they catch fish like crazy.

In all cases, wind-generated current blowing into shorelines, across shallow reefs, or whooshing flow between narrows and islands is likely to draw hungry walleyes into the shallows to feed, even during midday. Make long casts to shore with an X-Rap and retrieve it with a series of pulls and long pauses. Wham!

In the end, there are loads of ways to catch Canadian walleyes. Experiment to see what produces best. Much of the time, though, you won’t need to overcomplicate things. This is one fishing situation where keeping things simple usually works wonders. Which sounds like a vacation to me!